Abstract: Translating, in light of philosophical hermeneutics, is a process of understanding and interpreting, of which understanding is the premise. Dao (道) is a core concept in traditional Chinese ideology with plentiful cultural connotations. While, it has been put into a variety of dictions. Only the thorough understanding of the language and culture in the source text leads to the appropriate production in translation.
Key words: Dao (道)，philosophical hermeneutics，translation
［中图分类号］H315.9
［文献标识码］A
［文章编号］1006-2831(2012)11-0182-3 doi:10.3969/j.issn.1006-2831.2012.04.055
1. Introduction
Gadamer, the representative of philosophical hermeneutics, who first put forward the idea that “every translation is at the same time an interpretation”(Gadamer, 1999: 346), believes that a translator is first a reader, and then an interpreter. The translators in different historical periods, with different cultural and political background form his/her own unique pre-understanding of the source text, and then may translate the same concept in different ways.
Due to cultural uniqueness, there are culturally-loaded words with diversified meanings in every language, of which it is very difficult to find exact equivalents in the target language. In recent years, many traditional Chinese classics have been translated into English, in which the translation of the basic concepts vary greatly.
2. The Concept Dao (道)
The culturally-loaded concept Dao (道) is a core category in the system of traditional Chinese philosophy. It has been mentioned for 32 times in The Book of Poetry (诗经), 73 times in Dao De Jing (道德经), more than 80 times in The Analects of Confucius (论语), about 12 times in Modern Book of History (今文尚书) and 36 times in Classic Book of History (古文尚书)，175 times in Zuo Zhuan (左传), and over 60 times in Guo Yu (国语) (Sun Xiguo, 1992: 70-72).
In translating such concepts with profound connotations, the first thing for translators to do is make a full understanding of the text. Only when the real connotation of Dao (道) in different contexts is clearly distinguished and revealed can it be interpreted and translated appropriately.
3. The English Translations of Dao (道) in Chinese Classics
3.1 Dao (道) in Chinese Classics
[1] 取人之道，参之以礼。（荀子·君道篇）The Way of their selection of men consisted in comparing and examining them in terms of ritual principles. (John Knoblock, 1999: 401)
The meaning of Dao (道) in this sentence referred to the way or method for examining or choosing candidates. John Knoblock’s translation seems inappropriate because capitalized “Way” always means something abstract or even holy.
[2] 臣之所好者，道也，进乎技矣。（庄子·养生主）
What I love is Tao, which is much more splendid than my skill. (Wang Rongpei, 1999: 43)
“Tao” is the transliteration of Dao (道), which sounds too ambiguous here. In this sentence, Pao Ding, a butcher, expressed his idea about rules and skills. He believed that it was more important to master the rules or the laws of things than the skills.
[3] 道不行，乘桴浮于海。（论语·公冶长）
There is no order and justice now in the government in China. I will betake me to a ship and sail over the sea to seek for it in other countries. (Gu Hongming, 1996: 374)
Gu understood “道不行” as no order and justice in the government, sounding reasonable but a little deviating from the original meaning of the phrase. What Confucius wanted to express was that his ideas could not be accepted by others and put into practice.
[4] 朝闻道，夕死可矣。（论语·里仁）
When a man has learnt wisdom in the morning, he may be content to die in the evening before the sun sets. (Gu Hongming, 1996: 369)
If a man in the morning hears the right way, he may die in the evening without regret.(James Legge, 1992: 91)
In the morning, hear the Way; in the evening, die content. (Arthur Waley, 1999: 35)
In this sentence, Confucius expressed his yearning and desirable pursuit for truth. Legge translated Dao (道) into “right way”, obviously close to the original in meaning. But his translation of the whole sentence does not sound right. Gu Hongming translated Dao (道) into “wisdom”, sounding like an over simplification of the concept. Arthur Waley translates it into “hear the Way”, rather unclear in meaning.
[5] 无道之世，不践其土。（庄子·让王）
One should not step on the land of a country which goes against Tao. (Wang Rongpei, 1999: 507)
As the transliteration of Dao (道), Tao is widely used to refer to Dao (道) related to Daoism or Taoism. But in the expression, “无道”means lack of proper government of the country and Dao (道) in this phrase means moral and justice.
[6] 道之以德，齐之以礼。（论语·为政）
Govern them by moral force, keep order among them by ritual. (Arthur Waley, 1999: 11）
In this sentence, Dao (道) means to guide or to lead or to direct. Arthur Waley’s translated it as “govern”, not quite appropriate in fact.
3.2 Dao (道) in Daoism
Dao De Jing (道德经) begins with the famous saying “道可道，非常道”. Most scholars translate the first “道” in “道可道，非常道” as“way” or “Way”, which has just expressed part of the meanings of Dao (道). Although the English word “Way” in The Bible (圣经) means“loftiness” and “profundity” like the concept of Dao (道), it still bears some differences. In the Bible, Jesus declared the bright way to the other world. But what Lao Zi said in his book about Dao (道) means the origin of the universe, the law of nature and the truth of life(Yao Xiaoping, 2003: 198).
Some translators translate Dao (道) into“the divine law”. In English, “the divine law”refers to the will of the God in Christianity. But Dao De Jing (道德经) certainly has nothing to do with Christianity.
Chinese translators believe it is preferable to transliterate Dao (道) into Dao according to its Pinyin spelling or Tao according to WadeGiles scheme.
4. Conclusion
Traditional Chinese classics were written or compiled in ancient China. The original meaning of the concepts and discourses in these classics were composed under the influence of cultural development at that period of time. When we try to interpret and translate them today, we have to try to understand them in light of people’s way of thinking in ancient times, not just according to what we feel today.
Bibliography
Gadamer, Hans-Geoge. Truth and Method[M]. Trans. Garpett Barden and John Cumming. Beijing: China Social Sciences Publishing House, 1999: 346.
Knoblock, John. Xun Zi[M]. Trans. Changsha: Hunan People’s Publishing House, 1999: 401.
Legge, James. The Chinese/English Four Books[M]. Trans. Changsha: Hunan Publishing House, 1992: 91.
Rongpei, Wang. Zhuang Zi[M]. Trans. Changsha: Hunan People’s Publishing House, 1999: 43, 507.
Waley, Arthur. The Analects[M]. Trans. Changsha: Hunan People’s Publishing House, 1999: 11, 35.
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